Free jazz stuff: Check out the cool music trail at the Cork Jazz Festival
Boolaboom ready to blast it out for Cork Jazz Ferstival.
Starting on Thursday, we’re spotlighting 115 on Oliver Plunkett Street, who have a weekly jazz session every Thursday (8pm), so that’s a great way to get your weekend started. Who knows what musician you will see pop up. During the year, it isn’t uncommon to have tables of musicians waiting to take their place to jam with the in-house band.
The next three options cover the range of the city, firstly on the southside, Charlies on Union Quay will have Robbie Barron and Hugh Dillon (9pm). The duo are two of the most talented and astute guitarists in the city, their interplay often covers more than a full band while they play all manner of songs from the last five decades. Over in ‘The Island’ in between the two channels of the River Lee, The Mafia Cats (8.30pm) will be in The Woodford on Paul Street. They provide ‘original originals & classy classics’, with musical influences all the way from rockabilly to jazz. Their performances are always infectious and never take long for the crowd to get warmed up. Finally, over on the northside, The Belle Vue on Old Youghal Road will have Tony Burke and Anth Kaley (9.30pm). They draw from the Great American songbook as a starting point but they play plenty of classic songs from this side of the Atlantic as well. Anth and The Belle Vue also operate an open piano policy for the weekend, so you never know which rambing musician will call in to tinkle the ivories. Moving to Friday, the afternoon will see Hightown Crows set the tone in the Rising Sons Brewery (3pm). The band are beloved for their high-energy live performances and a versatile style that incorporates punk rockabilly, country trash, and garage rock, with some fans going to see them every day over last year’s festival. O’sho on Barrack Street, one of the most creatively ambitious pubs in the city, will have ‘actual jazz’ groups playing throughout the weekend; the Dan Walsh Trio will play two sets (4pm and 9pm), and the bar will also have similar trios playing those same times on Saturday and Sunday, with trad sessions (6pm) ‘in the window’ between the two jazz sets. The Hyde Out on Douglas Street will be hosting Zurito (6pm), a ‘rumba rock’ duo who blend traditional Spanish roots with a ‘riotous explosion of global influences’. The power and excitement the duo generate is something that has to be seen to believe. Over on South Main Street, The Park will have Saoirse Murphy and Philly Purcell (6pm). While they lean into the more soulful side of music the pair pull all manner of songs into their live sets. Just around the corner, Dwyers on Washington Street host Sway (7.30pm), a six-piece band that claim to play the greatest songs of two centuries, while their set list is eclectic the songs all share a danceable and very funky common thread. Expect anything from David Bowie to Pharrell Williams to Burt Bacharach.One of the trails most eagerly awaited gigs is the lead singer and founder of Republic Of Loose, Mick Pyro and his band (7.30pm), who will be taking to the stage in Couglans on Douglas Street. His last gig there was one of the most energetic and captivating shows I’ve seen in a long time, with astounding guitar playing perfectly supporting his lived-in vocals and brilliant songs. Over in El Fenix on Union Quay, The Stonecold Hobos (9pm) will be unleashing their blues rock sound, which features slide guitar, harmonica, bass and drums, along with brooding vocals. One of the godfathers of the Cork Jazz Festival Trail over the years is George Patterson, and his group The Roaring Forties (10pm) bring their energetic swing rock stylings to Brick Lane on South Main Street. Our Saturday starts even earlier, with the incredibly popular ‘Jazz On The Plaza’, with an open air stage on Emmet Place (1pm to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday). Brilliantly MCed by yours truly it features any combination of the many of the top-class jazz bands who roam around the city, it is always brilliant fun and a break away from the pubs for some and a great introduction to the festival for younger ears.
The Old Town Whiskey Bar on Cornmarket Street has the Paul Dunlea Quintet (2pm) playing with some of the best improvising musicians from the UK & Ireland, who are also session players for some of the biggest names in live music. You can expect both blistering solos and top-shelf ensemble playing.
Saturday afternoon contains so many options, so it will be hard to go wrong wherever you go, but I specifically want to flag Ophelia (4.30pm) in The Crane Lane, whose blend of underground hip-hop and emotive lyrical flow makes every show of hers a memorable one. Perhaps the Cork band with the best live reputation at the moment is Boolaboom (5pm) and they will be entertaining every single person in The Pavilion with their brass and percussion big-band interpretations of acoustic house, jazzy techno and drum & bass belters. One of Ireland’s leading Motown era bands will be appearing in The Old Oak when The Papa Zitas (5pm – and the same time Sunday) play their set of beloved dancefloor fillers, one after another. For bands of a more rootsier sound, The Common Good (6pm) will be playing their blend of Americana, Roots and Country Rock with an Irish twinge in The Poor Relation on Parnell Place. If you are in the mood for seven brass instruments playing all sorts of classic songs, you will particularly enjoy Cork’s own Code Of Behaviour (9pm), who will be blowing the roof off Seventy-Seven on Grand Parade. The Gables on Douglas Street will be hosting Rob Harley (10pm), who plays a broad range of rock, folk, and blues-influenced songs. One of Cork’s premier live acts, Hank Wedel (10pm) will be playing in The Woodford with his Down In The City Band. Hank is a veritable jukebox of songs, and you can never predict what direction his charismatic concerts will go. When we go again on Sunday, I recommend popping in to The Poor Relation for The Hot Shots (3.30pm) a four-piece band that feature combinations of guitar, double bass, mandolin, fiddle, accordion and concertina that play a mixture of songs and tunes that traverses several musical genres from The Beatles to Brazilian Choros with lots of interesting musical detours along the way. A little later on in The Vicarstown on North Main Street, you will get to see festival regulars The B Majors (6pm), who have a repertoire focused on upbeat jazz standards and contemporary arrangements, helping to blow away any of the cobwebs people might have on day four of the festival. The Kerryman’s Bar on Ballyhooley Road has subtly become a gem of a bar and have Damien O Mahony (7pm) playing a set of music, which might just include a certain Cian Ducrot song as a nod to his ‘All For You’ music video which was shot there. At the same time in The Crane Lane, Pontious Pilate & The Naildrivers (7pm) will be bringing their unparalleled fix of ska and punk, they always put the positive messages of the songs front and centre but never at the expense of the thrill of live music.
When we get to the final day of the very long weekend, Monday still presents many options. Over in Cantys on Pembroke St, Joe Mac (6pm), will be holding court, one of the performers with the most longevity in the country, his legendary wit and showmanship never fails to turn his gigs into some of the best fun you will have in the city. A slightly more sedate but equally brilliant concert will take place in Coughlans, when Rory McCarthy and Hugh Dillon (6pm) perform their original compositions and jazz-infused contemporary pieces on keyboards and guitar respectively, with Davie Ryan on drums and Mikey O’Connell on bass, it could prove to be the perfect wind-down for any remaining jazz aficionados.
For anyone who wants to keep the partying going, The Kates (9pm) are a brilliant five-piece based in West Cork who play all manner of original and cover songs covering many genres, but always performing brilliant shows and are constantly showcasing female songwriters and acts, they will be in The Crane Lane. Finally, I will recommend going to Charlies Bar for Hank & Ray’s legendary weekly session, while the two of them are all you need to have a brilliant night of music and craic, you can never even guess who they might have joining them for a song or two.
There are DJ options for those who would like a break from live music for a while. Plug’d Records on Cornmarket Street will be hosting the 9th birthday party of Dim The Lights, a duo who play the finest of sleazy disco, house chuggers and various other dancefloor goodness. Aye Lane Way on Anglesea St will have a one-off event on Saturday with the ‘O’sho DJs on tour’, so it’ll be a great range of DJ sets by Ed Callanan (7pm), Dave (8pm), Frankie (9pm) and Danillo Milk (11pm). On the Sunday in Henchys Bar at St Lukes Cross, there is a jazz festival staple that has become a pilgrimage for Cork music fans, when Donal Dineen (9pm) takes over the decks for an all-night mix, every inch of the bar becomes a dancefloor as Donal selects records from his huge and diverse collection.
In the Pavilion, one of Cork’s most interesting and engaging DJs, JL Razza (10.30pm) will take over their Intermission bar with a 4-hour, all vinyl set of jazz, soul, jazz-funk, disco, house and anything in between.
- Times are subject to change, so check ahead with the venue
